Bonus Episode: Backmasking and the Death of the Dangerous Rockstar

Summary

DISGRACELAND: Bonus Episode – Backmasking and the Death of the Dangerous Rockstar

Airdate: October 23, 2025
Host: Jake Brennan (Double Elvis Productions)

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Episode Overview

This bonus "After Party" episode dives into the myths and realities around "backmasking"—the alleged practice of hiding secret, often sinister, backward messages in rock music—as well as the broader societal fear of the “dangerous rock star.” Sparked by the new Disgraceland episode on Judas Priest, Jake Brennan explores high-profile cases from The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to Ozzy Osbourne, ultimately arguing that the myth of the truly dangerous rock star is dead. The episode weaves through listener calls on heavy metal’s “Mount Rushmore,” musings about Halloween horror, tributes to Ace Frehley, and a digression into Martin Scorsese’s new documentary.

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Main Theme

The show investigates the moral panic over backmasking in rock and heavy metal music, tracing the cultural moment when musicians were viewed as genuine threats to public morality and safety. Through narrative, listener interaction, and cultural commentary, Jake Brennan suggests that the danger once associated with rock stars has faded—leaving both music and myth “domesticated…and boring.”

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Backmasking Controversy & The Dangerous Rockstar Myth

(05:10–13:42)

• Judas Priest Case:
  In 1990, Judas Priest stood trial, accused of embedding backward-masked messages inciting suicide. This followed a broader movement to pin moral panics about violence, suicide, and depravity on rock acts.

  “The idea that rock stars would go out of their way to design backward messaging in their recordings with the intent of causing harm ... is absurd. But ... people believed this to be true.” – Jake Brennan (06:39)

• Other Notorious Examples:

  • The Beatles: “Turn me on, deadman” alleged message on “Revolution 9.”
  • Led Zeppelin: “Here's to my sweet Satan,” said to be heard on “Stairway to Heaven.”
  • Ozzy Osbourne: Sued for “Suicide Solution” allegedly causing a fan’s suicide.
  • Additional acts: National news and court time for Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe), Axl Rose, Billy Idol.

• The PMRC and Senate Hearings:
  Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center led a crusade against explicit music.

  • Frank Zappa, during Senate testimony:

    “If you play any record backwards long enough, you'll eventually hear what you want to hear. It's the same as looking at clouds. People see what they want. It is not scientific and it's not serious.” – Frank Zappa (09:42)

• Cultural Impact:
  Warning stickers and heightened scrutiny didn’t prove intentional malice in music. Jake contends that lawsuits and media panic did succeed in taming public fear of the “dangerous rock star,” shifting that anxiety elsewhere (now, often in hip hop).

• Reflection on Current Culture:

  “The myth of the dangerous rock star hasn't been eliminated, but it has been domesticated ... and I would argue, for better or worse anyway, that that's boring.” – Jake Brennan (12:46)

2. Listener Engagement: Heavy Metal’s Mount Rushmore

(19:38–29:19)

Callers from 803, 978, 507, and via email share personal favorites and stories:

• Ben from 803: Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are the greats, “big and majestic and, well, downright British... Iron Maiden Power Slave tour, I still have nightmares about Eddie…” (19:38)
• Eric from 803: Picks Judas Priest, with “Screaming for Vengeance” as his favorite album; Rob Halford the greatest singer. (23:05)
• Mark from 978: Emphasizes hierarchy—Black Sabbath invented the genre, then Maiden, Priest, and “the Big Four" (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax). (24:30)
• Hammy from 507: Appreciates the show’s in-joke: “He's a bad, bad man.” (25:40)
• Email from 775: Mourns Ace Frehley (“so much better than Kiss, let him be”), shares stories of waiting outside a courthouse during Judas Priest's trial in Reno. (27:09)

Jake’s commentary:

• Shares inside stories about Iron Maiden and Judas Priest’s early touring dynamics, referencing K.K. Downing’s negative view of Maiden’s attitude compared to Def Leppard or AC/DC. (20:47)
• Corrects a previous mistake in reporting Priest’s discography, thanks a listener for pointing it out. (23:32)
• Reminisces about Iron Maiden albums (“Stranger in a Strange Land,” “Wasted Years”), Ace Frehley’s influence on rock guitar, and the impact Priest’s trial had in the 1980s.

3. Teases and Previews: Upcoming Disgraceland Content

(15:16–19:38)

• Robert Johnson “Devil” Myth: Analyzes the myth of Robert Johnson selling his soul; promises a fresh take and immersive sound design.
• Next Week’s Episode: The Exorcist—urges listeners to vote on the scariest movie ever, brings in horror themes for Halloween.

4. Pop Culture Sidebar: Martin Scorsese Documentary

(30:20–36:46)

• Jake’s pick: Martin Scorsese as the “most rock and roll” filmmaker.
• Dr. Zeth Lundy joins to discuss the Apple TV+ docuseries Mr. Scorsese, directed by Rebecca Miller.

  “If you like art, if you like getting inside an artist’s head... I cannot recommend this series enough.” – Zeth Lundy (32:23)

• The doc gives unprecedented insight into Scorsese’s family, upbringing, and how neighborhood life and organized crime at the periphery shaped his movies and worldview.

5. Sports Rant: Shohei Ohtani vs. Babe Ruth

(33:57–36:46)

• Jake marvels at Ohtani’s dominance in a championship series, bemoans old-school sports radio’s inability to appreciate the current era.

  “Come on, man. Dude plays in a completely different era, in a foreign country, in a game that is played in a language he doesn’t speak... Babe Ruth played in the dead ball era at a time when the league was segregated.” – Jake Brennan (36:09)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Blasphemy. Unspeakable acts. Of depravity, animal abuse. We can question the seriousness ... but you can't deny the shocking impact.” – Jake Brennan (07:27)
• “Rob Halford ... was forced into court to testify to his innocence in a lawsuit accusing him of wanting to kill his fans. This would never happen today.” – Jake Brennan (11:32)
• “Today’s rock stars ... or at least the perception of today’s rock stars is safe. And I would argue, for better or worse ... that’s boring.” – Jake Brennan (12:46)
• Listener Ben: “Iron Maiden and Judas Priest ... just hit different... ultimate concert ever was probably the Iron Maiden Power Slave tour. I still have nightmares about Eddie coming at me.” (20:00)
• Frank Zappa (as quoted): "If you play any record backwards long enough, you’ll eventually hear what you want to hear. It's the same as looking at clouds. People see what they want. It is not scientific and it’s not serious.” (09:42)
• “I know you're up there looking down at an incredible legacy. Pour one out for Ace Frehley.” – Jake Brennan, on Ace Frehley’s reported passing (26:49)
• Dr. Zeth Lundy: "They bring the true criminos of it all to the surface...” (32:57)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 05:10–13:42 | Backmasking & the “Dangerous Rockstar” | | 15:16–19:38 | Judas Priest’s Dave Holland, Robert Johnson myth, Halloween preview | | 19:38–29:19 | Listener calls/texts on heavy metal’s Mount Rushmore, Ace Frehley tribute | | 30:20–32:23 | Jake on Martin Scorsese’s rock’n’roll spirit | | 32:23–33:57 | Dr. Zeth Lundy on the Mr. Scorsese doc | | 33:57–36:46 | Shohei Ohtani sports rant | | 36:46–end | Outro and recap: Judas Priest, more Halloween, Scorsese, community invitation |

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Memorable Tone and Style

Jake Brennan’s approach blends reverence for music history with irreverence for the myths and moral panics that surrounded it. He’s conversational, honest about mistakes, interactive with listeners, and determined to shine a light on the buried truths behind the legends.

Listeners are invited to participate, share their stories, and keep the spirit of obsessive music fandom alive—because, as Jake asserts, “this isn’t just content, it’s a community.”

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For Further Listening

• The full Judas Priest episode (featuring deeper coverage of the trial)
• Robert Johnson: The Devil at the Crossroads (Rewind episode)
• The Exorcist (upcoming Halloween special)
• Mr. Scorsese: Documentary review via Hollywoodland podcast (w/ Dr. Zeth Lundy)

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Contact the Show:
Text or leave a voicemail with your answers to the “scariest movie ever” at 617-906-6638.
Find all Disgraceland archives and exclusive content at disgracelandpod.com or join “All Access” for extras.

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This episode: A riotous, darkly funny, and thoughtful exploration of when rock & roll really did seem to threaten the world… at least to some.

Transcript

[Jake Brennan]

This episode is brought to you by Disgraceland All Access and the listeners who support this show through Patreon and Apple Podcasts. You can become a supporting member of Disgraceland and receive ad free and exclusive content by signing up today for just $5 a month before prices go up at the end of October. To become an All Access member, go to Disgracelandpod.com I am not going to lie. I was up late last night watching playoff baseball and it has been a slog today. But I am powering through these ad reads right now than entirely to five hour energy guys. Five hour energy has so many flavors. 17 flavors. You're never bored. There's a variety of awesome flavors with just as much caffeine as a 12 ounce premium cup of coffee, but with zero sugar and zero sugar crash big flavor in a tiny bottle. That's five hour energy. The five hour energy shots pack the flavors of the season in a portable two ounce shot. Your day's fueled up nice and quick with tasty caffeine. I'm holding onto that summert vibe even though I know the fall is here, but I'm still rocking that watermelon five Hour Energy. I can't get enough of it. You know, as it gets cooler though, I know myself I'm going to be migrating back toward the sour apple 5 hour energy. It gives you that sort of like that, that crisp, you know, when the air kind of starts to bite back at you for the first time. That kind of tastes tasty, but also tardy. Mostly just tasty though. Again, these are small, powerful shots of energy. Boom. You're ready to go with five hour energy. Give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with five hour energy shots. Get yours in store and online at www.5hourenergy.com or on Amazon today. I was recently researching a subject for one of our podcast episodes whose home was broken into and the algorithm started to then send me all these horrifying clips of home break ins and I got pulled into the wormhole and naturally started questioning my own home security system at the time. And what I found out was that my system wasn't very preventative. And that's because most home security systems aren't very preventative. They're actually designed to only react and take action once someone has already broken in. And that ain't good. Simplisafe. On the other hand, my new security system stops crime before it even starts by confronting potential threats the moment they appear. These break in videos online are horrifying and they're happening in Neighborhoods all over. You need your home security to be dependable. And my question is, can a home security system really call itself security if it only responds once the intruder is already in your home? SimpliSafe is the way to stop someone from actually entering your home. Their AI powered cameras detect threats while they're outside before they intrude, and they alert real security agents who take action while the intruder, again, is outside, not in your house. I'm now using SimpliSafe and I'm telling you that you guys should too. It's super easy to set up. They sent me all the components in one box. I was able to hook it up by myself. Made my wife happy, and now my home is protected and I've got rapid response. I've got a security system I can depend on and a great easy intuitive app that helps me monitor my home no matter where I'm at. Right now, my listeners can save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system at simplisafe.com Disgracepod that's simplisafe.com DisgracePod there's no safe like SimpliSafe. Hey, discos, need a little more Disgraceland in your life? Just a touch to get you through? Yeah, me too. This is the podcast that comes after the podcast. Welcome to Disgraceland. The after party. Welcome to the Disgraceland bonus episode. A little thing we like to call the after party. This is the show after the show. The party, after the party. The bridge to get you from one full episode of Disgraceland to the other. The backyard to dig into the dirt. And our mission to uncover the truth, to confront the myth, to reclaim the story. On this bonus episode, we're talking about our new story, backmasking and the death of the dangerous rock star. Because of our new episode on Judas Priest, we're rewinding back to our spooky Robert Johnson tale, previewing next week's episode on the Exorcist. And we get into your voicemails, texts, DMs, and as always, a whole lotta Rosie. This is the podcast for the musically obsessed, the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. Disgraceland is where I tell the stories I didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. All right, discos, let's get into it.

[Listener Callers]

Foreign.

[Jake Brennan]

The national news reported on a Judas Priest court case, and the heavy metal band was accused of inciting fans to commit suicide. Specifically, authorities accused the English group of including hidden messages in their songs that could only be heard by playing vinyl copies of their albums backward. This practice, known as backmasking, wasn't a new concept in 1990. But what was new in 1990 was the idea that many in mainstream America seriously believed that rock stars were dangerous enough to want to cause intentional harm, even death, to their fans. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne each endured backmasking controversies. In the 1960s. The Beatles were accused of including the backward message Turn me on, deadman in their song Revolution 9, a supposed reference to their supposed dead bass player, Paul McCartney. In the 70s, Led Zeppelin were accused of backmasking the message here's to my sweet Satan, a lyric that one could supposedly decipher by playing the Zeppelin tune Stairway to Heaven backward. In the 80s, in an event that would foreshadow the Judas Priest scandal, Ozzy Osbourne was sued for criminal negligence, accused by the parents of a young fan of including subliminal messages in his song Suicide Solution and inciting their son to kill himself. The idea that rock stars would go out of their way to design backward messaging in their recordings with the intent of causing harm to their fans and is absurd. But the point is that in decades past, people believed this to be true. So much so that Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest were forced into court to defend lawsuits brought against them. Now, who would believe that rock stars were this dangerous? Well, lots of people. And it turns out they had good reason. In 1966, when the Beatles John Lennon said publicly that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, 91% of Americans identified as Christians, Compared to Today, when just 61% of Americans identify as Christians. Naturally, a massive backlash against the Beatles took place after these comments. Lennon was accused of blasphemy, Beatles records were burned, their music was banned on certain radio stations throughout the American south, and Lennon was forced to publicly apologize. In 1985, when the LED Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods was published, news of the group's unspeakable sexual depravity involving a mud shark spread throughout every high school in America. And despite the questionable veracity of the book's author and its sources, many believed this story and still do. And in 1981, when Ozzy Osbourne shocked CBS Records executives by biting the head off of a live dove in the middle of a business meeting and then repeated the animal abuse on stage a year later by biting the head off of a bat, parents of teenage metalheads across the United States were horrified. Who were these lunatics entertaining American children? Blasphemy. Unspeakable acts. Of depravity, animal abuse. We can question the seriousness of the intent behind all of these controversies, but you can't deny the shocking impact that each event had. These stories and more Vince Neil from Motley Crue's drunk driving incident that killed Nicholas Razzle. Dingley, drummer for Hanoi Rocks. Axl Rose from Guns N Roses, inciting a riot at one of the band's shows. Billy Idol compelling hotel management to call the Thai military to evict him from a Bangkok hotel over his debauch and violent behavior. These tales of rock and roll excess made national and sometimes international news. Authorities and parents had serious questions about the entertainers their children were being exposed to dangerous rock stars. This fear and doubt burst into mainstream consciousness in 1985 when the PMRC, the Parents Music Resource Center, a music censorship advocacy group spearheaded by Tipper Gore, wife of then Democrat Senator Al Gore, argued in front of the entire country in a live televised Senate hearing that popular musicians posed a dangerous threat to young people and specifically accused Led Zeppelin and other groups of backmasking. Senate testimony didn't prove that rock stars were intentionally trying to harm young fans through backmasking. In fact, Frank Zappa, in his testimony against the PMRC's accusations, thoroughly destroyed their argument, saying the whole issue of hidden messages, backward masking and all that. If you play any record backwards long enough, you'll eventually hear what you want to hear. It's the same as looking at clouds. People see what they want. It is not scientific and it's not serious. And despite the testimony of Frank Zappa, the PMRC did prevail. The riaa, the Recording Industry association of America, agreed to include a warning sticker on albums deemed offensive. Sacrilegious snark, sex with mud sharks, headless bats, deadly drunk driving incidents, riots, debauchery in a nationally televised Senate hearing all contributed to an environment of fear and moral panic and came to a head in 1990 when the parents of a Judas Priest fan, James Vance, accused the band of backmasking messages in intended to compel listeners to kill themselves. Vance was horribly disfigured in a suicide pact with his friend and fellow Judas Priest fan, Raymond Belknap, who shot and killed himself on December 23, 1985. As ridiculous as this lawsuit sounds, the idea that musicians would exert time, money and creative energy in the recording studio to design secret messaging with the express purpose of causing harm, even death, to their fans. As absurd as this idea is, this is not the point. The point is that in the 1980s, people actually believed that rock stars were dangerous enough to do what they were being accused of. The Judas Priest backmasking case was very real. Ozzy Osbourne faced his own lawsuit over the same issue in 1987, and Led Zeppelin's name was smeared all over the floor of the United States Senate. Rob Halford, a singer in a heavy metal band, was along with his bandmates forced into court to testify to his innocence in a lawsuit accusing him of wanting to kill his fans. This would never happen today. Rock stars simply aren't seen as being dangerous enough. Sure, some mainstream rockers play with dark imagery, but not in any serious kind of way. Not in a way that results in lawsuits or accusations of compelling the deaths of fans. The rock star or the myth of the dangerous rock star hasn't been eliminated, but it has been domesticated. Today's rock stars by comparison, or at least the perception of today's rock stars is safe. And I would argue, for better or worse anyway, that that's boring. These days, public fear and paranoia is expressed toward hip hop artists like Travis Scott and Lil Nas X. And if we're to believe certain corners of the Internet, it's through these artists that the devil now expresses himself. But as for the myth of the dangerous rock star, it's dead. But I am very much alive and I'll be back in a flash with your voicemails, text emails and answers on who you think the greatest heavy metal acts of all time are. More after this when did making plans get this complicated?

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[Jake Brennan]

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[Jake Brennan]

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[Zeth Lundy]

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[Jake Brennan]

A rewatch podcast looking back at How.

[Zeth Lundy]

I Met yout Mother and I'm here with Chris Craig Thomas, who co created the show along with Carter Bayes. Hi Craig.

[Jake Brennan]

Hey Josh. Somehow it has been 20 years since the show premiered. I'm gonna check the math on that. Ten years since it went off the air and we thought that made this a perfect time to look back, see what the hell we did and why the show still seems to resonate with fans around the world today.

[Zeth Lundy]

Follow and listen to How We Made youe Mother wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Jake Brennan]

All right, we are back and we are dangerous as ever. That entire piece on backmasking that you just heard was obviously inspired by our recent episode on Judas Priest. The whole subject totally fascinates me. The fact that people actually believed what they believed, the urban myths that backmasking created. If you're of a certain age, you heard all those stories growing up like I I did, and I wanted to give the subject a little more time. Thus the piece at the top of this episode. Another subject relative to Judas Priest that we didn't cover in our full story in our full episode, I should say, was the arrest and imprisonment of Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland for abusing a minor with learning disabilities. I was shocked to discover a part of this story that I was previously oblivious to regarding the band's thoughts on their drummer's arrest and what happened after that. Certainly not part of the public narrative surrounding Dave Holland and Judas Priest. You can sort of connect the dots here and come to a very, very interesting conclusion. Disgraceland All Access members can hear that conclusion and that story in our mini episode this week, available for Patreon and Apple subscribers. Five bucks a month to get that content along with ad free. Listen, just go to Disgracesampod.com to sign up before those prices go up at the end of October. And know that when you do sign up, you're supporting the show and we really appreciate that. Speaking of myths, were we speaking of myths? I don't know. I feel like we're always doing some sort of myth work here. And in this week's rewind episode on Robert Johnson, we play with the myth that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for success, which to me is kind of rote, kind of boring. I've got a different take on Robert Johnson and the devil, and you're not going to want to miss it. This episode has some of our best and creepiest sound design. Perfect for Halloween, so make sure you don't miss it. It's coming up directly after this bonus episode next week. All the chills hit when we dive into our exorcist story. Again, on the Halloween tip, do yourself a favor and download that episode, climb into bed, turn off the lights, put some headphones on, and be prepared to creep out with us. One of my favorite episodes. When we originally released this story last year, we received a ton of positive feedback from you guys, including some who are connected to the story, which is really fascinating. We knew we had an instant Halloween classic, so I'm excited to listen again, and I hope you are too. All right, the Exorcist story is indeed creepy and deals with some heavy issues, but it also prompts a really fun question. What is the scariest movie, by your estimation, the scariest movie of all time? I don't know how you want to term it. Whatever scares the hell out of you. We talked about this last year and got a boatload of responses. We're still getting responses on it, if I'm being totally honest. So I know it's a subject that still has legs. And I know that some of you guys are constantly watching new horror and watching old horror and updating your your list of favorite scary movies. So when you're listening to the Exorcist episode next week, be thinking about which movies have scared you the most, which have really freaked you the hell out, whether they're old classics, new ones, things you've seen since last year. And we talked about this last whatever it is, hit me up, let me know. 617-906-6638 Leave a voicemail and a text. I love getting hip to horror movies that I haven't seen and reminded of classics that I need to re watch this year. 617-906-6638 call let me know one which scary movies freak you out the most and what we all need to be watching this Halloween. All right, and on the subject of you guys and your voicemails, excuse that chair in the background sliding across the floor. I moved the studio around a little bit yesterday. Trying to go for a little fresh look here. More of a flat background, you know, and I'm still settling in here. All right, so excuse that rolling chair. There it is again. Anyways, on the subject of you guys in your voicemails and texts, let's hear your answers to last week's question of the week on the heavy metal artists that are on your Mount Rushmore of heavy metal. Let's hear from Ben in the 803.

[Listener Callers]

Hey Jake. This is Ben from the 803, weighing in on a subject that is back in my wheelhouse as a young, impressionable guy in the 80s, during the heyday of the heavy metal era, if you will, learning to play guitar and naturally gravitated towards Van Halen, Vi Malmsteen, those guys. But when you're talking about bands, there was just something big and majestic and, well, downright British. Obviously, about the two best metal bands of all time. In my opinion, they would be 1 and 1A. And that would be Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Those guys just hit different. And you know, again, when you're going from listening to, you know, Van Halen and all this stuff for the ribbon guitars. And you hear, you know, Glenn Tipton, KK Downing, those guys and the way they were doing their dual guitar melodies and everything else, it was just. Everything was a little bit bigger and badder, you know what I mean? And then, ultimate concert ever was probably the Iron Maiden Power Slave tour. I still have nightmares about Eddie coming at me. Thanks a lot, Jake. Keep up the great work. Rock a roller Ben.

[Jake Brennan]

I feel the Van Halen love, and I agree with you. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest just hit different. This didn't make it into the Judas Priest episode. But it was one of the things that I found. I didn't get to write about it. I didn't know this, that I wasn't surprised to read that Iron Maiden opened up for Judas Priest early on in their career. But what I did find that was surprising was that in K.K. downing's book, he talks about how they. He basically. He doesn't say he hates Iron Maiden, but he talks. I don't want to say talks shit. But he's got a very unfavorable opinion of these guys based on. Not on their music, on their attitudes and the way they acted when they were touring together as a young band. And I think he compares them to Def Leppard and just how. What great guys Def Leppard were. And how easy it was. And has similar kind things to say about ACDC from that time period. But Iron Maiden, he's not a fan. And this is something that's come up recently. A couple times to me. When Seth and I were talking a few months ago about Sharon Osborne. We came upon this tidbit of information where Iron Maiden did an Ozfest a few years back and had a lot of beef with Sharon. And basically a lot of people on that tour did not like Iron Maiden. So I don't know what this is all about. I mean, I'm not. Admittedly, I'm not an Iron Maiden aficionado. I like Iron Maiden. I was listening to the Somewhere in Time album the other day a couple days ago. Copped that on CD at Armageddon Records in Harvard Square when I was up in Boston a couple weeks ago, or Cambridge, I should say, and was listening to that album. Love that album. Stranger to Strange Land. Such as fucking Bruce Dickinson's voice, man. So good. Epic, epic, epic, epic choruses and also kind of sounds like these guys might have been epic dicks as well. Anyways, that came up in the Judas Priest research. All right, let's go. Let's. We got another call here from the 803. 803. This is from Eric. The last 803 voicemail is from Ben. Wonder if you guys know each other. Just curious. Eric in the 803. So let's hear what you got to say.

[Listener Callers]

Hey Jake, it's eric from the 803 calling to tell you that my favorite heavy metal band of all time is Judas priest. I'm an 80s metal kid, love lots of bands from that era and beyond, but the Priests are my favorite. Screaming for Vengeance is probably my favorite album of all time and Rob is definitely my favorite metal singer. So rock on. Love your show. Talk to you later, Eric.

[Jake Brennan]

I agree. Judas Priest stands amongst the greats. You mentioned Screaming for Vengeance. And I have to mention here a mistake that I made in the Judas Priest episode that Marty E. Emailed me about. I confused the screaming for vengeance in Defenders of the Faith albums in our story when I was giving a breakdown of record sales by Judas Priest. If you downloaded an early version of that episode, you might have heard that mistake. We've since corrected it and re uploaded the correction. The correct episode. Correct information in the episode. Excuse me. So if you're downloading a later version, you're just going to get the correct stuff and it doesn't matter. My bad. And total brain fart. Well aware of the differences between the albums. My bad. And thank you, Marty E. For pointing that out. I appreciate it. All right, we're going to move out of the 803, which I believe is South Carolina, and we're going to head back to my neck of the woods in the 978.

[Listener Callers]

Jake, what's up? Mark from 978. Greatest metal band of all time. Listen, man, there's a hierarchy here, right? I think just about anybody who's ever owned a battle vest would probably agree to this. It's got to be Sabbath. It's gotta be Sabbath. They basically invented the genre, Right? But then after Sabbath, sure, that's when you can start talking about Maiden And Priest. Okay. And then in my opinion after that is like the big four, right? Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. So it's almost like. Like different groups, right? But Sabbath has to be above all of them in. In. I don't know, in my opinion. Side note, you're absolutely right. Hollow notes is freaking awesome. And yeah. Love what you do. Keep it up. Rock a roll.

[Jake Brennan]

978. I like your hierarchy and I agree. You got to put Black Sabbath at the top of the list. Sorry to say, Priest fans, without Black Sabbath, there just wouldn't be Judas Priest. Let's see what's up in the 507.

[Listener Callers]

Hey, what up? This is Hammy from the 507. I was just going to go ahead and let you know that that play in with the He's a bad bad man. That's the first time I've heard it. It's on the mini episode leading into the Judas Priest and I mean I listen to most yalls episodes but that's the first time I heard it and I. Man, I rewind it like three times, dude. Just bouncing, just bouncing to. He's a bad bad man with the beat. Love what y' all do. Don't ever stop.

[Jake Brennan]

I love it. 507. I love it, man. I love that you're into that. That's my son when he was four years old speaking into the mic. He's a bad, bad man. And yeah, you guys become All Access members. You get to cop those mini episodes. You'll hear all about what the 507 is talking about while I look for this email I want to read to you guys. I've got Iron Maiden cruising through my head and Stranger to Strange Land. First of all, the album art is incredible and Wasted Years. That is the song I am thinking about with the epic chorus. If I misspoke earlier, I'm in danger of losing serious metalhead cred here with these mistakes. I'm not sure that was one. And I'm not going to go back and listen and try to correct it. I'm just let you know what's swimming through my head here in real time. And I'm resisting the urge to launch into full Bruce Dickinson chorus mode right now. No one wants to hear that, especially not my kids. 775 writes in Hey, I was bummed to hear about the passing of Ace Freely yesterday. He was so much better than Kiss. Let him be. Talk about a musician hog tied by his band. I bought all of the 1978 solo albums by the guys in Kiss. His was hands down the best. Every song is a straight banger. I agree. I love that record and I I this is a really good take. About Ace Freely. 775 Ace Freely was, as I mentioned this in an Instagram post, he was a great guitar player who was, I believe, wrongly maligned by guitar snobs as not being a great guitar player. Just what's. What's the word I'm looking for? It's not anything profound. It's just. The point is, he's so great, so impactful, directly responsible for so many of us picking up the guitars in the first place, and you just cannot deny the guy that he was fantastic. And rest in peace, Ace. I know you're up there looking down at an incredible legacy. Pour one out for Ace Frehley. 775 also goes on to say I was obsessed with priests in the early 80s and remember waiting outside the courthouse in my hometown of Reno, Nevada to try to meet them when the suicide case was going on. Those poor kids were deeply disturbed indeed, very disturbed. That's wild that you were there. I wonder what that scene was like. Write us back 775 or call us. Better yet, leave a voicemail. Tell us what that scene was like at the courthouse back when priest was on trial. Incredible. Appreciate all the voicemails, appreciate the text, appreciate the emails guys. Thank you. Keep them coming At Disgraceland Pod on the socials. You want to hit me up there as well? Disgracelandpodgmail.com on email as always. 617-90666 voicemail and text. I'll be back right after this.

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[Jake Brennan]

Upgrade your laundry routine with a durable and reliable Maytag laundry pair at Lowes. Like the new Maytag washer and dryer with performance enhanced stain fighting power designed to cut through serious dirt and grime. And what's great is this laundry pair is in stock and ready for delivery when you need it the most. Don't miss out. Shop Maytag in store or online today at Lowe's. I've decided to that Martin Scorsese, that's Mr. Martin Scorsese is my favorite filmmaker of all time. I say decided like this is a new revelation. But I've known it for some time and it's for many reasons. But the main reason is that Scorsese is just the most rock and roll of all the directors in my mind. Anyway, so that's reason 1A. Reason 1B. We get into in the exclusive section of this episode coming up, by we, I mean me and Dr. Zeth Lundy from the prestigious Hollywoodland Hospital, excuse me, Hollywoodland podcast. We're talking about this because of the new five part documentary series on Martin Scorsese that was released last week. Now listen, it's called Mr. Scorsese. Everyone who knows him, back from the old neighborhood, who's in this dock, refers to him as Martin Scorsese. Scorsese, not Scorsese. I've been saying Scorsese my whole life. Now I'm trying to correct myself and say Scorsese. It's like trying to correct myself and say Nevada instead of Nevada. I can't do it. It's hard. I try. I'm gonna fail. I'm letting you know. Anyways, this stock was released last week. I've seen three of the five episodes. It's incredible. Seth talks about this and a whole lot more in his wrap party episode of Hollywoodland bonus episode of Hollywoodland this week. Here's a taste what you're missing if you're not subscribed.

[Zeth Lundy]

What was really great that I watched over the Weekend was Apple TV's new documentary series Mr. Scorsese. This is a five part series obviously about Martin Scorsese, directed by Rebecca Miller. If you like Martin Scorsese or you just like movies, I cannot recommend. I mean, if, if you like art, if you like the getting inside an artist's head and seeing how they do what they do, I cannot recommend this series enough. I don't think there has ever been a portrait, as Rebecca Miller calls it, of a filmmaker that is this personal and this much of a deep dive. And I'm not just talking into his career, into his work, but into his life. Okay. The first two episodes were my favorites because they shed so much light on Martin Scorsese's upbringing, his childhood. And a big part of these first two episodes are conversations and interviews with his childhood friends now. And they really brought bring this whole backstory to life. I knew about his backstory, but I didn't know about it. With this much shading, this much color, this much character. They bring the true criminos of it all to the surface. The organized crime that's been hanging out in the shadows, these shadowy figures that his father has to deal with. And then how all these things made their way into Scorsese's movies, not only into his movies, but into how he dealt with studios and executives and people who were difficult to deal with and all these lessons that he took from his father and how his father would deal with all these authority figures in the neighborhood back in the day.

[Jake Brennan]

All right, that's Dr. Zeth Lundy in the Hollywoodland podcast. Subscribe to Hollywoodland wherever you get your podcasts. You know who I felt like when I just read that? I felt like the announcer, the. The hockey announcer in Slap Shot. I don't know why. If anyone's seen Slapshot, maybe, maybe you'll know what I'm talking about. It's a wild digression. I gotta reel it in. So that's what I'm gonna do. Okay, this past weekend. Hold up, hold up, hold up. I almost forgot. This 60 second sports rant in under 30 seconds is once again sponsored by Five Hour Energy's new Pumpkin spice flavor, your favorite fall drink. In an energy shot, you can pick up a Pumpkin Spice 5 Hour Energy Shot, available online at Fivehrenergy.com or Amazon. This past weekend, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers did something I'd never seen ever in all my years of watching baseball in a deciding championship series game. He started the game on the mound, struck out the first three batters of the game in the top of the first inning, then got up to the plate to hit leadoff in the bottom of the first and immediately homer'd sheer dominance. It was incredible to watch. He then went on to pitch six scoreless innings and homer two more times. Now, I told my kids they were lucky to be alive during the same time that this dude is playing baseball. And then next day, Monday, I'm still on this high. My kids are all pumped about it. I'm pumped about it. We're talking about it. I turn on Boston sports radio to hear cranky old dudes of which I Definitely am not one trying to make the case that Shohei Ohtani is no Babe Ruth. Now hold up. This is apples to donuts. I can almost excuse the case. Old heads try to make for Ruth over Ohtani, but I can't excuse the certainty of their argument or the smugness. Come on. Come on, man. Dude plays in a completely different era in a foreign country, in a game that is played in a language that he doesn't speak. Babe Ruth played in the dead ball era at a time when the league was segregated and when a big portion of the talent was overseas fighting at war. Okay, you can't compare the two. So just chill and enjoy this magnificent display of dominance, perhaps with a new pumpkin spice flavor five hour energy shot. Matt, how did I do? 134, Jake. But I gotta agree with you on Ohtani. We're all lucky to see him play.

[Zeth Lundy]

Hey, who's gonna win the series?

[Jake Brennan]

Dodgers and six. That's what I'm saying. That was the sports rant sponsored by five Hour Energy's new pumpkin spice flavor. These new pumpkin spice five hour energy shots are fall in a bottle and bring that classic pumpkin spice flavor that we all know and love. Our favorite fall drink. In an energy shot, you can pick up a pumpkin spice 5 hour energy shot available online at 5hourenergy.com or Amazon.

[Listener Callers]

All right, all right, all right.

[Jake Brennan]

I promised you guys a Scorsese conversation and you're gonna get it right now. Zeff, Lundy and I breaking down the five episode doc series called Mr. Scorsese with some surprising insights into our own Scorsese storytelling that's coming up right now for All Access members. Five bucks a month for the exclusive content like this and our mini episodes plus ad free listening. Head to Disgracelandpod.com to sign up. All right, back in the saddle again. Ozzy Osbourne, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Van Halen, all those artists were mentioned today. All those artists are in the Disgraceland archive with stories on each. Some have multiple episodes. You can check that out. You can find those episodes very easily by just going to the show notes of this afterparty bonus episode. And Matt will have all of the relevant episode information in the show notes so that you can find these stories very quickly and, you know, just continue with your week. Weekend, weekend listening. All right, let's recap, shall we? Number one, this week's full episode is on Judas Priest, and that's available for you to listen to at this moment. Number two, our new mini episode for All Access members on Judas Priest. Drummer Dave Holland's arrest, imprisonment and Rock and Roll hall of Fame induction. That's available as well for our All Access members. Number three, rewind episode on Robert Johnson and the myth you've never heard before. You're gonna get that. That's coming up right after this. Number four. Next week, our exorcist episode five, Zest gets deeper into Mr. Scorsese in the rap party episode of Hollywoodland. Number six, 617906, 6638, give me a call. Because your voice, you're digging into the dark corners of music history, your experiences with the music that you love, all of that call text. Hit me with your answers to this week's question of the week or whatever else you want to talk about. And don't forget discos. This isn't just content, it's a community. A community of the obsessed. No one cares about music, books, records and the crime and grime that ties them all together like you do. And well, that's a disgrace. All right. On December 23rd, 1985, two metalheads got wasted and fucked around with a sawed off shotgun, forever changing the trajectory of their favorite band, Judas Priest. And this is what America was listening to on that day. Number one, say you, say me, Lionel Richie. Last week, three weeks on chart seven. Number two, Broken Wings. Mr. Mister. Last week, one weeks on chart 14. Number three, Party all the Time, Eddie Murphy. Last week, four weeks on chart. Number four, Alive and Kicking, Simple Minds. Last week, seven weeks on chart. Number 10. Number five, Separate Lives, Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. Last week, two weeks on chart 12. Number six, Election Day. He makes the best films.

[Listener Callers]

He makes the best films I've ever.

[Jake Brennan]

Seen in my life. I love him.

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[Jake Brennan]

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